


Day 4: Given as Gift

by Curse_my_sarcastic_nature



Series: 12 Days of Winter Whumperland 2020 [4]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin (Comics)
Genre: (?), Angst, Dick Grayson is Batman, Dick Grayson is Damian Wayne’s Parent, Dick Grayson is a Good Parent, Fluff, Gen, Hurt & Comfort, Unnamed villain - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:48:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28088766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Curse_my_sarcastic_nature/pseuds/Curse_my_sarcastic_nature
Summary: They had shoved him in a box, bolted the box together, then wrapped the box with Christmas paper and tied a bow on top. He knew this because they had spoken of all the steps as they demonstrated them. Damian hated this, being trapped in a dark space that was hardly larger than himself.It brought back memories. Memories of darker times, things he would rather forget.****12 Days of Winter Whumperland, Day 4Given as Gift
Relationships: Damian Wayne & Dick Grayson
Series: 12 Days of Winter Whumperland 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2052900
Comments: 2
Kudos: 93





	Day 4: Given as Gift

The boy in the box clamped his mouth shut as a whimper tried to escape between his lips. The space was too small, too cramped, too tight. He was curled in a ball, trying to make himself tiny as possible. Damian didn’t like this, being trapped in a box as a sick joke by their villain of the week.

They had shoved him in a box, bolted it together, then wrapped it in Christmas paper and tied a bow on top. He knew this because they had spoken of all the steps as they demonstrated them. Damian hated this, being stuck in a dark space that was hardly larger than himself.

It brought back memories. Memories of darker times, things he would rather forget. Having his spine replaced in the pitch black, laying there still and awake while his mother’s surgeons operated on him. A punishment of being locked in a small room for days after failing an assignment. Every single time he had awoken from a nightmare. Situations filtered through his head, each one worse than the last of what could happen.

The villain had said they were giving him away. To whom, was the question. He didn’t want it to be someone with villainous intent but Damian doubted he would be sent to Batman. It wasn’t like they even knew his older brother’s identity as the vigilante anyway.

As his mind mentioned Grayson, thoughts started circling around his head. Dangerous thoughts. What if Grayson didn’t come for him? What if he never escaped? What if he was unmasked in front of a crowd and the world found out his identity?

A shudder rippled though his body and he squeezed his knees closer to his chest. He didn’t want to be found out as Robin. Loathe he admit it, but he liked being Grayson’s partner. Maybe Grayson would send him back to mother for being a failure. The last time he had seen her was during the his whole spine fiasco, forcing him to work for Deathstroke.

His grandfather was not kind, he had come to realise. He wanted to stay with Grayson. Even if it wasn’t his father, Grayson was good enough, maybe even better. The older man had been patient but firm with Damian, treating him with kindness instead of caution. Damian wanted to stay with his Batman. But he didn’t know if he would be able to.

A crash came from outside of the box. Damian tried to uncurl, only to have his legs bump against the side of the small rectangular area. He panicked and pulled himself in even tighter, his breathing growing faster. A loud _thunk_ came from the outside and Damian’s mind was running at a thousand miles an hour.

He got ready to pounce when he heard the wrapping paper being ripped and grunts as the bolts were cut loose. Damian braced himself for a fight but it never came. Looking down at him was the worried face of his Batman. All of his worries dispersed at the look on Grayson’s face.

“Grayson,” he breathed softly.

Grayson’s face softened. “Robin, are you okay? What happened?”

Damian blinked.

“I was taken by them,” he said and pointed to the villain slumped on the other side of the room. Their obnoxious headpiece was shattered against the wall, the bottom of it sticking into the plaster. Their cape lay on the ground, scrunched up in a ball, hiding the inside lining of small silver stars against a black background. 

“Let’s get you home.”

* * *

Damian huffed as Grayson checked him over again. “Pennyworth has already cleared me. Twice.”

“I know, but I just need to check one more time. That scared me, Dames. I thought I wasn’t going to get there in time.”

Damian resolve wilted a bit. Just a bit. “In time for what? What were they going to do to me?”

“It was their name that gave themselves away, The Auctioneer. Quite ridiculous but insanely helpful in finding you. …They were going to have an illegal auction, and give you away, as a free gift to the bidder who spends the most.”

The rest of the sentence remained unfinished. _They could do whatever they wanted with you, give you to whoever they wanted._

Damian let Grayson fuss over him for as long as he needed.

“And you know, I came as fast as I could. It took a while to track them.”

The hammer Grayson just let out smashed his doubts into a million tiny shards that dissolved into nothingness.

Damian was only able to say, “I know. Thank you, Richard.”

Grayson’s eyes lit up with a smile that only half showed on the rest of his face. He pulled Damian into a hug. “Always, Damian. I’ll always be there.”

Grayson would have been a much better choice to gift to someone, but Damian was glad that he wasn’t taken. Because he would miss his Batman, his partner. He made everything better. Grayson made Damian feel nice, because he was kind and forgiving.

So he hugged his Batman back. Grayson was obviously surprised by the gesture of affection, but took it in stride. He took a deep breath in through Damian’s hair before giving him a reassuring smile.

Maybe Damian’s father was dead.

Maybe his mother didn’t want him anymore.

But maybe, just maybe, Dick Grayson was better than having them back.

**Author's Note:**

> Oooh so I loved writing this one! I’m a sucker for Dick and Damian father/son interactions and while isn’t specified it was IMPlIED. I’m smiling so hard because I just love the two of them. Send in prompts/requests!
> 
> Come to all to me at my tumblr!  
> https://thesporklecat.tumblr.com/


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